Dental hygienists

A BILL TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING SECTION 40-15-85, RELATING TO DEFINITIONS CONCERNING THE REGULATION OF DENTISTS, DENTAL HYGIENISTS, AND DENTAL TECHNICIANS BY THE STATE BOARD OF DENTISTRY, SO AS TO DEFINE A NECESSARY TERM; BY AMENDING SECTION 40-15-80, RELATING TO ACTS CONSIDERED TO BE THE PRACTICE OF DENTAL HYGIENE, SO AS TO EXPAND SERVICES THAT LICENSED DENTAL HYGIENISTS MAY PERFORM WITHOUT SUPERVISION OR WITH GENERAL SUPERVISION, AND TO PROVIDE DENTAL HYGIENISTS PRACTICING INTERDEPENDENTLY IN PUBLIC HEALTH SETTINGS WITHOUT SUPERVISION MUST BE RECOGNIZED AS PROVIDERS BY MEDICAID AND OTHER PAYERS AND MAY BE DIRECTLY REMIBURSED BY SUCH PAYERS; BY AMENDING SECTION 40-15-102, RELATING TO THE GENERAL SUPERVISION OF DENTAL HYGIENISTS BY DENTISTS, SO AS TO MAKE CONFORMING CHANGES; AND BY AMENDING SECTION 40-15-110, RELATING TO EXEMPTIONS FROM REGULATION BY THE BOARD, SO AS TO REMOVE CERTAIN OVERSIGHT REQUIREMENTS FOR LICENSED DENTAL HYGIENISTS WHO PROVIDE EDUCATION AND REVERSIBLE PREVENTIVE CARE IN CERTAIN SETTINGS, AMONG OTHER THINGS.